​We all know that expression about not seeing the forest. As a choral vocalist it’s easy to fall prey to that problem. We focus on notes, tuning to other voices, enunciation and all the myriad of processes that are going on while we perform and we sometimes miss the “forest” – the message that the composer wants to convey.

I type the lyrics to our songs as a method of memorizing them. As I read over the lyrics of “Prayer of the Children” by Kurt Bestor – seeing them on the plain page as poetry – I realized what a beautiful work this is. In six emotional verses he pleads for the children caught in war. They are afraid; they long for the familiar; they know no politics and they only want peace. Violence against children is evil.

Bestor wrote the piece in response to the conflicts in the former Yugoslavia. Having lived in the country as an expatriate he was familiar with the beauty of the place, the warmth of friends and the simmering enmity between ethnic groups. He writes in his blog that as he watched the conflict unfold ” Suddenly my friends were pitted against each other…Meanwhile, all I could do was stay glued to the TV back in the US and sink deeper in a sense of hopelessness.” As an artist he found an expression of the feelings nearing despair – the song entitled “Prayer of the Children”.

The song was not widely performed at first. Now has been sun at memorials for the Columbine shootings, the Oklahoma City bombing, 9/11 and the Sandy Hook CT school shootings it has gained a deserved recognition for its expression of the plight of children experiencing violence they do not comprehend.

Sadly - this song remains relevant twenty-five years later as we watch the displacement of millions of refugees from Syria and in many other countries. Masses of people seeking a peaceful place with their children in tow could be singing with us “Crying who will help me / To feel the love again in my own land / But if unknown roads lead away from home/ Give me loving arms, away from harm.”

The song ends with hope. Perhaps the hope that children can muster in their innocence needs to be the inspiration for the adults of the world in response to the prayer of the children - “When darkness clears I know you’re near bringing peace again”.

EKOSingers will be performing “Prayer of the Children” with the Mill Creek Colliery Band at their Pops and Classics event Sunday March 6, 2016, 3:00 pm. Robertson Wesley United Church, 10209 – 103 St., Edmonton, Alberta.

​Tickets are available from EKOSingers, at the door, or in advance through Tix on the Square (Charge by phone 780-420-1757 or online.) Tickets for all concerts are $20 (students/seniors $15). Children 12 and under are free. Special discounts are available for groups (for special rates, please call 780-431-2437).

I’ve often imagined having the chutzpah to walk up to the doorman of a sold-out music venue and say “I’m with the band” and have that velvet covered cordon drawn back with respect. Members of EKOSingers might have that opportunity as we perform with the Millcreek Colliery Band on Sunday, March 6th. Truth is we’ll be arriving early - probably by a side entrance – but we will indeed be “with the band”.

The Mill Creek Colliery Band is a traditional British-style brass band based in Edmonton. The band consists of an enthusiastic group of local professional and amateur musicians dedicated to promoting excellence in brass banding throughout western Canada. British-style brass bands consist of only brass instruments and percussion. (Unlike British-style fish and chips there is no newspaper wrapping). They have a history in the UK going back to the early 1800’s and are often affiliated with industry sponsors – especially miners. In this tradition The Edmonton group has named itself after the collieries (coal mines) that were found along the river valley area in Edmonton in the early days.

The concert date is fast approaching and EKOSingers are having a few extra rehearsals as we acclimatize to the venue and rehearse with the band. This is a new experience for the EKOSingers and we are excited to get it right. Learning lyrics, our harmony parts and getting the right blend are all the pieces that will come together for the performance. The program will include jazz standards performed with the band and spiritual songs that are a staple in the EKOSingers repertoire.

We’re hoping to see lots of the community, our friends and family there. You’ll need to come in through the main entrance and wait in line unless, of course, “you’re with the band”. EKOSingers will be performing as guests of the Millcreek Colliery band at their Pops and Classics event Sunday March 6, 2016, 3:00 pm. Robertson Wesley United Church, 10209 – 103 St., Edmonton, Alberta.Tickets are available from EKOSingers, at the door, or in advance through Tix on the Square (Charge by phone 780-420-1757 or online.) Tickets for all concerts are $20 (students/seniors $15). Children 12 and under are free. Special discounts are available for groups (for special rates, please call 780-431-2437).

It felt a bit like our 15 minutes of fame as about 20 EKOSingers members joined other members of the Choir Alberta mass choir to sing “A Thanksgiving” by Bob Chilcott, with Grammy award-winning The King’s Singers. The concert performance was the culmination of an afternoon workshop with the premier classical vocal group from the U.K.

We got a brief insight into the method of these performers as they coached us on the parts we sang in accompaniment to their performance of the piece. We saw first how they use the vocal instrument like craftsmen working with fine jewelry. They strived to form each sound to promote the unity of voices and to achieve the best quality.

EKOSingers Director, Paula Roberts, who also participated in the workshop noted “I was astounded, at first, to discover their plan of not having a conductor for the 150 voice workshop choir, but as things began to unfold, it was amazing how quickly every singer “tuned in” to each other and to the 6 King’s Singers. We actually pulled off a wonderful “unconducted” performance which was a new and exciting experience for us all. (But, hopefully, we choral conductors won’t be out of a job any time soon!)”

Their emphasis on the primacy of the ensemble over the desire to “shine” as a vocal performer was an excellent reminder to us as we strive for beauty in the vocal blend of our group. We heard in the workshop and again later in performance how their group has become so finely attuned to each other that they are conscious of the sound, the silence and even the breathing of their fellow singers. Their concert was filled with examples of singing as though they were one instrument and in other pieces how they sang in counter-point with the precision of an elegant machine.

Being in the presence of such virtuosity was a great pleasure and inspiration to strive harder in our EKOSingers ensemble.